So much better than trying to make a Weight Watchers meeting

I've been rolling around the New Year's resolutions in my head almost as long as I've been composing my Christmas card letter (also still in my head...must.get.those.cards.out.last.month). I have some concepts -- self-care, inner calm, financial freedom, something reflective that involves catching that new supermodel reality show on Bravo -- but I haven't outlined anything for myself specifically. Yet.

I imagine that I am not alone in wanting to find ways to be a better parent (nor to want more shoes, but let's keep on the higher road for just this one post, shall we?). I can read all the parenting books on Amazon and  subscribe to Mothering and  get all consciousness-raising-y with other mamas about boosting esteem and discovering each day who my boy is rather than imposing who I think he may be upon his tiny soul, and still have a complete and total yelly mommy moment over the trucks and tools that make it impossible to walk from the living room to the bathroom without seriously injuring a baby toe.  Even in the toe-stubbing time-out threatening seeming necessity of it all, I am not so fond of yelly mommy and would certainly like to banish her to the naughty chair after most appearances. 

The thing is, yelly mommy is also often accompanied by lazy mommy. Lazy mommy doesn't really want to spend twenty minutes alternately spraying Shout and scrubbing out chicken nugget grease from the $40 sized-2T polo shirt. Lazy mommy also doesn't care if the PullUp stays on past nap or if some mornings, the TV is on for longer than the APA recommends for preschoolers for the whole week. Lazy mommy also would like very much for someone else to outline resolutions on how to make she and yelly mommy disappear for good (somehow this analogy quickly devolved into psychotic mommy territory).

Thankfully, my grrrl Kelly outlined a list of great parenting resolutions that she thinks will make her a better mom to her amazing kid. I loved it so much (and was so exhausted from writing out the Christmas cards I never sent) that I think I will just follow what she says she's going to attempt.

The best part is, Kelly's a bad ass personal trainer who is loaded up with tattoos, wears leotards for kicks and rues self-imposed challenges that keep her from hoarding cupcakes. She also makes lots of strange references to moist towelettes and uses the f-bomb more than I do, so pretty much she is my parenting ideal. Even if you personally aren't down with trans fats and towelettes, read her column. It is good. Really good. And it will make you think about what kind of mama you want to be this year, especially in really being honest about the mama you already are.

I guess for me, that may just mean lazy mommy and yelly mommy aren't going anywhere. Except to call out for dinner and complain about playing Play-Doh.

Still haven't clicked over? For shame. Catch Kelly here. Seriously dude, maybe your resolution should be to read more.